US5143104A — Vented apparatus for storing and cleaning an elem…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 193 words

A vented contact lens storage and cleaning container comprising: a container having a side wall, a bottom wall and an open top; a cap removably attached to said container and closing off said opening in said container, said cap having an upper surface and a lower surface, said cap having a recess in said lower surface and a vent hole located within said recess and extending through said cap; a gas and liquid impermeable gasket adjacent said vent hole in said cap including at least one "H"-shaped perforation extending therethrough which acts as a one way valve, said "H"-shaped perforation forming a pair of adjacent flaps which are normally closed and in abutting relationship forming a fluid-tight seal, said flaps being deflectable at sufficiently high pressure levels to move away from their normal closed position to permit gas to vent through said perforation and out of said vent hole and said caps thereby providing two hinged venting flaps allowing fast evacuation of gasses generated within said container; and basket means removably mounted in the interior of said container for removably containing contact lenses and allowing liquid to freely flow over the contact lenses.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 193 words

A vented contact lens storage and cleaning container comprising: a container having a side wall, a bottom wall and an open top; a cap removably attached to said container and closing off said opening in said container, said cap having an upper surface and a lower surface, said cap having a recess in said lower surface and a vent hole located within said recess and extending through said cap; a gas and liquid impermeable gasket adjacent said vent hole in said cap including at least one "H"-shaped perforation extending therethrough which acts as a one way valve, said "H"-shaped perforation forming a pair of adjacent flaps which are normally closed and in abutting relationship forming a fluid-tight seal, said flaps being deflectable at sufficiently high pressure levels to move away from their normal closed position to permit gas to vent through said perforation and out of said vent hole and said caps thereby providing two hinged venting flaps allowing fast evacuation of gasses generated within said container; and basket means removably mounted in the interior of said container for removably containing contact lenses and allowing liquid to freely flow over the contact lenses.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 37 words

The container of claim 1 wherein said perforations in said gasket are placed so as to be in alignment with said recess in said cap when said gasket forms a seal between said cap and said vial.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 184 words

Apparatus for storing and disinfecting contact lenses comprising: a fluid containing vial having a sidewall, a bottom wall and an open top; a cap capable of engaging said vial including a top side and a bottom side, said bottom side having a recessed groove and at least one vent hole within said recessed groove; a basket attached to said bottom side of said cap for retaining at least one contact lens therein, said basket having at least one opening therethrough fluidly communicating the interior of said basket with the exterior thereof; and a vapor and liquid impermeable resilient gasket mounted adjacent said recessed groove, said gasket having at least one slit therethrough, said slot being "H"-shaped and forming a pair of adjacent flaps which are normally closed and in abutting relationship forming a fluid-tight seal, said flaps being deflectable at sufficiently high pressure levels to move away from their normal closed position to permit gas to vent through said slot and out of said vent hole and said cap thereby providing two hinged venting flaps allowing fast evacuation of gases generated within said vial.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 184 words

Apparatus for storing and disinfecting contact lenses comprising: a fluid containing vial having a sidewall, a bottom wall and an open top; a cap capable of engaging said vial including a top side and a bottom side, said bottom side having a recessed groove and at least one vent hole within said recessed groove; a basket attached to said bottom side of said cap for retaining at least one contact lens therein, said basket having at least one opening therethrough fluidly communicating the interior of said basket with the exterior thereof; and a vapor and liquid impermeable resilient gasket mounted adjacent said recessed groove, said gasket having at least one slit therethrough, said slot being "H"-shaped and forming a pair of adjacent flaps which are normally closed and in abutting relationship forming a fluid-tight seal, said flaps being deflectable at sufficiently high pressure levels to move away from their normal closed position to permit gas to vent through said slot and out of said vent hole and said cap thereby providing two hinged venting flaps allowing fast evacuation of gases generated within said vial.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 30 words

In the apparatus of claim 3 wherein said cap includes a downward extending hollow receptacle on its bottom side, said basket including a part disposed in said receptacle retained therein.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 89 words

In the apparatus of claim 4 wherein said basket further includes a central main body portion having a generally vertical front wall and a rear wall with through passages extending therethrough and a lens rest on each of said front and rear body portion walls for receiving a contact lens thereon, and a pair of keeper members removably attached to said main body portion on each of said front and rear body portion walls overlying said respective lens rests, each of said keeper members having through passages extending therethrough.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 18 words

In the apparatus of claim 5 wherein said keeper members are snap fit to said main body portion.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 31 words

In the apparatus of claim 6 wherein said keeper members are hinged at the top to said main body portion and snap fit to the bottom of said main body portion.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 13 words

In the apparatus of claim 5 wherein said lens rests are dome shaped.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 13 words

In the apparatus of claim 3 wherein said gasket is of silastic material.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 19 words

In the apparatus of claim 9 wherein said silastic material has a durometer reading of about 55 Shore A.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 12 words

In the apparatus of claim 9 wherein said silastic material is opaque.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1995-09-01	1996-03-02	1996-09-01	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1999-09-01	2000-03-02	2000-09-01	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2003-09-01	2004-03-02	2004-09-01	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Vented apparatus for storing and cleaning an element

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag